PCDA(P) for 80+ defence pensioners / family pensioners by Maj navdeep

While instructions were issued by the Govt of India, Department of Pensions, for civilian pensioners, the same were awaited for defence pensioners of all categories.

Some readers (and I’m particularly referring here to a longish mail received by me on the subject from a senior retired veteran) had remarked that there was no use of such instructions or provisioning of age proof since the date of birth is already mentioned in the PPO and/or other discharge documents and that this is just a way of harassing veterans. This is however incorrect. There are many cases where the date of birth and age proof is not available. This is particularly true in cases of WWII Veterans and their families and also reservists and others who were discharged on reduction of military establishment. Anyway, cynicism today is a way of life and there is no escape from it, but in my personal opinion, it does not augur well to censure every single step initiated by the govt for making procedures easier for pensioners. Obviously if there is a mention of the date of birth or age in the documents, there is no requirement of producing any such proof and neither would the Pension Disbursing Authority ask for the same, but if it is not so mentioned then it is the Govt’s duty to put out a procedure in black and white for such rare cases and that is what has been done, and in a pretty rudimentary and simple way at that.

More than the PCDA(P) or the banks, it is the bounden duty of all of us to spread the word and find out if our old pensioners / family pensioners / casualty award pensioners are receiving pension in accordance with the correct entitlement. Also it is an obligation of our Record Offices to look into their files and ensure that the dues are flowing out accurately to old pensioners. How well this obligation is discharged depends on us and not on external agencies.

The instructions for defence pensioners can be accessed and downloaded by clicking here. Posted by Navdeep / Maj Navdeep Singh at 5:21 AM 5 comments